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Rabat – Laker Berich, a former TV presenter and sports analyst, has claimed that Algeria’s national football team would have performed better than the Moroccan Atlas Lions had it managed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Morocco’s national team won plaudits and admiration from across the world late last year, with many fans and observers celebrating the Atlas Lions’ historic journey at the Qatar World Cup. In particular, Morocco left an indelible mark on global football by becoming the first African and Arab nation to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Yet Berich downplayed the depth and magnitude of the Atlas Lions’ achievement, claiming that the Algerian national football team would have surely reached the final had it managed to qualify for the global tournament.
Berich, who is known for his combative outspokenness, made the controversial remarks earlier this week in a recent program aired on the Algerian channel Echorouk News. In addition to playing down the Atlas Lions’ historic performances in Qatar, Berich made several contentious remarks regarding what he presented as behind-the-scenes manipulations in African football.
In particular, he appeared to suggest that Cameroon, who beat Algeria in a two-legged playoff to book their ticket to the Qatar World Cup, owed its qualification to behind-the-scenes maneuvers and arrangements.
The controversial Algerian journalist speculated that various factors, such as player conduct, coaching decisions, undue or illegal intervention from the African Football Confederation (CAF), the referees, or even neighboring countries, have historically influenced the outcome of crucial games in African football.
For all his suggestion that Algeria’s absence from the 2022 World Cup might have been due to off-the-pitch politicking, Berich still lamented Algeria’s inability to approach their second leg playoff against Cameroon effectively, leaving them unsuccessful in their World Cup qualification bid.
Read also: On Being a Foreigner in Morocco During the World Cup
In addition, he openly admitted that Algeria had also relied on similar behind-the-scenes tactics, suggesting that these maneuvers were once an integral part of Algerian football’s strategy in major games and tournaments on the continent.
Berich concluded his remarks by emphasizing the need for Algeria to have influential figures within the ranks of CAF and FIFA, the leading bodies ofAfrican and world football respectively. According to the journalist, having influential personnel in the ranks of these governing bodies considerably improves a country’ prospects in international tournaments.
As far as Berich is concerned, Algerian football failed at the latest AFCON and during the World Cup qualification playoffs because Algeria did not have representatives in key CAF and FIFA positions to advocate for its interests.
The comments have caused a significant uproar on social media platforms, with many users condemning Berich’s remarks as an attempt to justify the failure of Algerian football both in Africa and on the world stage over the past two years.
In Morocco, Berich’s remarks have been met with widespread criticism on social media platforms. Many users perceive his statements as biased and unprofessional, highlighting his previous affiliation with belN sports. They argue that his assertions are nothing more than a paid endeavor to rationalize Algeria’s sporting shortcomings since winning the AFCON in 2029.
Berich’s controversial claims have ignited a heated debate among football enthusiasts, with differing opinions surfacing regarding the alleged prevalence of behind-the-scenes maneuvers in African football. Critics assert that his statements only serve to perpetuate conspiracies and divert attention from addressing the real issues affecting the sport.
As discussions continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how Berich’s remarks will impact public opinion and the discourse surrounding African football. Many in the broader community of football enthusiasts in Africa, including sports authorities and fans alike, may surely be awaiting further developments in this ongoing controversy.
